cats and tuna

[Desley (booktigger)]

IT is the magnesium levels in fish that is thought to contribute to cystitis issues

[Millys Mum]

My understanding was that one of the main problems with too much fishy food is that it can cause or exacerbate struvite crystals and cystitis type problems 

Yep another reason to feed in moderation

[fluffybunny]

My understanding was that one of the main problems with too much fishy food is that it can cause or exacerbate struvite crystals and cystitis type problems 

[Catbird]

Zebedee has a fur ball -I caught him couching the other morning, so I am hoping he will eat this and it will help lubricate the fur ball through  .
If not off to the vet for some Katalax.

You know Whiskas Temptations?  There's a new one specifically for hairballs.  It looks the same as regular Temptations and Dot assures me that it tastes the same.  It really seems to work - Dot has hacked only one hairball since I started giving her 4 or 5 of the treats per day.  I don't think they are available widely in the UK and I got mine from Zooplus.

C.

[Desley (booktigger)]

That is one of the main reasons why tuna should be used sparingly, they can very quickly get addicted to it. It might be advisable to get a few pouches of cat tuna, and mix it in gradually with his food.

[Tajie]

    Well I ran out of whiskers biccies over a weekend, and had to use a tin of Tuna out of the cupboard-well what a mistake that was, Nicodaemus now has decided he's not going to eat anything else ever again!!!!! He now has selection of bowls of biccies, pouches and nibbles. Won't touch it has to be tuna.  HELP!!!!!!!!  Problem started with this young man (of 9months) when although neutered started cat calling throwing himself around the room hanging upside down from shelves & cupboards, is this puberty? He still likes curry, salami, olives, and the odd few sips of bordeaux providing he's hand fed.  He is  French, I have tried to wean him off the tuna but he refused to eat for 3 days until I gave in.  He doesn't need worming or de-fleaing. Don't know whats wrong with him, he healthy bright eyed and bushy tailed- could it be spring?

[Desley (booktigger)]

I dont like feeding tuna flavoured foods too often, I tend to do a couple of times a week, same with any flavour Applaws, with that being complimentary.I do have a fussy cat who I am trying to get wet food into though!!

[Millys Mum]

Its those tightly packed longer lasting meats they pump with sugar and water, fresh from the butcher is more trustworthy than the chinese ingredients imported for pet food manufactuing 

[Gillian Harvey]

I personally have concerns about a raw diet as so many additives are made to meat - I'd rather trust a made for cats food

I wouldnt! not after all the cat food fiascos lately!

As long as you buy additive free/organic meat and balance the diet correctly its a better option I'd say, at least you know exactly whats going into it! But even human grade supermarket standard meat ranges are better than what goes into some cat foods!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Personally, I wouldn't feed tuna too often even if it is cat food.  It's still tuna.  Like Mark says, it can cause Yellow fat disease

http://www.cat-world.com.au/FeedingFish.htm

[Millys Mum]

I got 6 almo nature 70g instead of animonda carny, they let me keep it and refunded it but i then didnt have what i wanted, 70g of watery chicken doesnt go very far round here!

[Jasmine]

I've just got 12 x 156g tins of Porta 21 from Zooplus - although I ordered 12 x 360g packs Bozita pate plaice (I know, they're crap - I've seen the other thread!)

Anyhow, none of mine particularly like tuna - so I'm donating it to the local rescue (and trying to get a refund).

Just wanted to say though, I think a lot of fishy cat food is 'made'/sourced in Thailand.

[Kay and Penny]

I too doubt whether vets know very much about nutrition - but at least the vet actually read the tin label, and this product has taurine, and vitamins A, D and E added, which suggests it is scientifically constituted - magnesium is 0.008%, and phosphorus 0.2% - I have to assume that as both are mentioned the manufacturers are aware they should be kept low

I guess we have to trust something, as the cats have to eat - I personally have concerns about a raw diet as so many additives are made to meat - I'd rather trust a made for cats food

[Mark]

They added the taurine in but it wont neccessarily be balanced inregards to calcium and phosphorus

Very few vets are clued up on nutrition - the problem is, they are the ones who dole out advise on it that people believe. If I didn't have my own opinions, I would be feeding my lot Science Plan. As some on here know, I have started a degree in Animal Science. The lecturer asked us for input on some of the things we would like to be included. I asked about animal nutrition and he said that there was a lecture on nutrition but it wasn't anything that would be gone into in any depth. We actually did it yesterday but it was really about humans other than a small bit about discussing the difference in diet v lifestyle of Pandas, Polar Bears and Brown Bears.

Apparently, it can cause "Yellow fat disease" due to lack of vitamin E - lots of info with refs here. This doesn't just apply to Tuna but any non-oily fish. Kylie has fish of some description every day but it makes up a small part of her diet so probably OK. I know a lot of senior foods have extra vitamin E in.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=450509

[Gail Bengal Slave]

I give mine applaws tuna - which they love. I always thought it meant human john west (or what ever) tuna.

But sayin g that I have just bought a can of tuna in sunflower oil as thikn Zebedee has a fur ball -I caught him couching the other morning, so I am hoping he will eat this and it will help lubricate the fur ball through  .

If not off to the vet for some Katalax.

[Millys Mum]

They added the taurine in but it wont neccessarily be balanced inregards to calcium and phosphorus

[Kay and Penny]

the vet has just paid a home visit to vaccinate my two, and I showed her a tin of Porta21 tuna - she says it is fine to feed regularly as the things missing from tuna for human consumption have been added

Tiffany will be so pleased

[Kay and Penny]

Thanks for all your advice - I will give them half their daily food in dry, which Tiffany prefers anyway - but she does like tuna - and alternate tuna cat food with Felix and Whiskas pouches

both Cosmo and Prota are canned in Thailand, which seems an unlikely place to me to have high standards for cat food, but as the primary language is German I have to assume it's nutritionally balanced

next time I order I will try the chicken, but as niether will even pretend to eat fresh chicken I have my doubts

[Millys Mum]

I would alternate between meaty and fishy flavours if they will eat it, do you feed dry with it? Some of these foods are fortified but dont have a proper calcium/phos ratio so arent properly balanced.

[Janeyk]

Tbh as we have older cats we tend to give them more or less what they want, eg our Smokey was painfully thin and didn't eat very much at all but never refused prawns so he got them most days it was anything to get him to eat, he was a very happy boy 

[Christine (Blip)]

Blip doesn't like chicken so her twice-daily wet meals are usually fish-based or game-based (Schmusy and Miamor mostly, at the moment).  In addition, she eats two pouches of tuna every weekend - our current favourite is Miamor Feine Filets (90% tuna, 10% vegetables).  She does have Royal Canin Mature Weight and Kidney for her third meal Monday - Friday.

Blip is ten-and-a-half and had her most recent blood tests in December - she's doing well on this rather fishy regime, which she's enjoyed for many years.

[Janeyk]

I would think they would be fine, your vet said so and like Dark Moon my vet is fine about it but if it were me I would probably give it a few times a week rather than every meal plus it's a treat for them then.

[Kay and Penny]

the ingredients show Taurine and Vitamin E has been added - I am hoping that the dangers in tuna are thereby modified in the cat tuna - if not, it shouldn't be on the market, surely

[Janeyk]

My vet has recommended some tuna and oily fish for my cats coat and to coax Schui to eat when his sinuses are bad and his sense of smell is poor (because they smell quite strong) in moderation it is ok just not all the time.

[swampmaxmum]

tuna's too rich for any cat with anything wrong with its liver. I was also told not to give my (healthy) cat too much tuna or all the time, but other non fish foods too. The vet said cats don't do well long term on only fish.

[Dark Moon]

I asked my vet that very question because one of mine would eat little else. I too had heard that too much tuna (or red fish in general) was not good. But she assured me that it would be fine. Mine have mostly fish cat food - tuna and salmon - and I even cut in cans of human tuna from time to time as well. They have been and continue fine.

I might not put them on such a diet exclusively (though mine do mostly eat that) but, apparently, it isn't as bad for them as I had once thought.

[Kay and Penny]

I have just bought a large supply of Porta21 and Cosmo Thai from Zooplus, and the first tin of each has gone down very well with my two

But they both contain a high percentage of tuna, which I thought should not be given to cats on a regular basis. Does that only apply to tuna for human consumption?As Porta and Cosmo are made for cats, can I assume it is safe to feed on a daily basis?

Would be grateful for any advice before they get too addicted